Chelsea

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Chelsea's pre-season tour of Hong Kong produced a 1-0 defeat to Juventus, but the result itself was secondary to the squad news surrounding it. Xabi Alonso confirmed that Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill were absent purely as a precaution after both picked up minor contact injuries earlier in the tour. The manager moved quickly to reassure supporters, and neither player is expected to miss significant time. With AC Milan next up on August 8, Alonso will hope to have his two most important players available as pre-season preparations build toward the new Premier League campaign.

Off the pitch, the summer overhaul under Alonso is moving at considerable speed. The £52 million signing of Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace has drawn praise from former captain Gary Cahill, who believes the French defender can reach a new level under Alonso's management. Chelsea are also closing in on a £16.3 million deal for Rayo Vallecano left-back Pep Chavarria to address depth in defence, while Jordan Henderson has arrived from Brentford to add Premier League experience and leadership to a squad that has leaned heavily on youth in recent windows.

Mykhailo Mudryk's return from his doping ban adds another layer of complexity. Alonso confirmed the winger could be selected, and he rejoined group training during the Hong Kong trip, but Chelsea are reportedly considering a loan move to sister club Strasbourg to help him rebuild match fitness and confidence rather than immediately integrating him into first-team plans.

Chelsea Overview

Chelsea v Juventus - Pre-Season Friendly

Alonso explains Palmer and Colwill absences

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has reassured supporters regarding the fitness of Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill after both players missed the pre-season friendly against Juventus in Hong Kong. The Blues suffered a narrow defeat on Wednesday, but Alonso confirmed the absences were merely precautionary measures following minor contact injuries sustained earlier in the tour.

Chelsea FC v Tottenham: Sydney Super Cup

Why Palmer & Colwill are missing from Chelsea squad against Juve

Chelsea fans in Hong Kong have been left frustrated after star duo Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill were notable absentees from the squad to face Juventus. Both players have been integral to the Blues' pre-season preparations under new manager Xabi Alonso, but they will play no part in the high-profile friendly at the Kai Tak Stadium.

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'Anything can happen' - Maresca transfer hints as Neto links intensify

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca has admitted that the club still has significant work to do in the transfer market following a summer of high-profile departures at the Etihad Stadium. While the Etihad giants have already made waves with a club-record signing, the Italian tactician is keeping the door wide open for further reinforcements amid links to Chelsea winger Pedro Neto.

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Standings

Premier League crestPremier League

PosTeamPWDLFA+/-PTSForm
4Brentford crestBrentford00000000
5Brighton & Hove Albion crestBrighton & Hove Albion00000000
6Chelsea crestChelsea00000000
7Coventry City crestCoventry City00000000
8Crystal Palace crestCrystal Palace00000000
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Frequently asked questions

Chelsea were founded on March 10, 1905, following Gus Mears' acquisition of the Stamford Bridge in 1904. Several names were put up for consideration: Kensington FC, Stamford Bridge FC, and London FC. However, all these names were rejected and the name Chelsea F.C. was finally selected.

Chelsea are co-owned by an American consortium consisting of Todd Boehly, Mark Walter. Hansjorg Wyss, and Behdad Eghbali-led Clearlake Capital. Boehly, Walter, and Wyss each own a 12.8% stake in the club, while Clearlake Capital are the majority shareholder with a 61.5% stake.

Chelsea's stadium is known as the Stamford Bridge and has been the club's home venue ever since their inception in 1905. Interestingly, the Stamford Bridge was owned by a separate company after businessman Ken Bates bought the club in the 1980s, when they were on the verge of bankruptcy and stuck in the second division. In 1992, however, after a long-fought legal battle and a 'Save The Bridge' campaign from the fans, Chelsea regained ownership of the stadium.

The Stamford Bridge has a capacity of around 40,000.

Chelsea have won an impressive 32 trophies throughout their history, including two Champions League titles and six English top-flight titles.

Chelsea have won the English top flight on six occasions, with their most recent title coming at the end of the 2016-17 season.

Legendary defender Ron Harris holds the record for making the most appearances for Chelsea, featuring for the club in 795 games, ahead of Peter Bonetti and John Terry. The latter two are the only other players along with Harris to make over 700 appearances for the club.

Frank Lampard, arguably the greatest Chelsea player ever, is the club's leading goalscorer of all-time, netting the ball into the net 211 times in 648 games. The fact that he was a midfielder makes the feat all the more impressive.

Didier Drogba, John Terry, Eden Hazard, Claude Makelele, Arjen Robben, Petr Cech, Michael Ballack, and David Luiz are some of the most famous players to have represented Chelsea.

Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel, Carlo Ancelotti, and Maurizio Sarri are among the biggest managerial names to have been a part of Chelsea's eminent history.

Chelsea are called The Blues, which is a reference to the colour of their kit since the early 20th century.